Friday, June 14, 2013

Daring Cooks Challenge June 2013 Meatballs

This month's challenge was MEATBALLS my favourite recipe of all time I have so so so many great recipes here a couple of personal fav's enjoy the colour and flavours.

This month's hosts were Shelley and Ruth and here their introduction to the challenge

Hi there! We are Shelley from C Mom Cook and Ruth from The Crafts of Mommyhood. We are twin sisters who share a love of food, but who have very different cooking styles. Ruth keeps a vegetarian home while Shelley is a carnivore through and through. Despite our differences, we both love all aspects of food – eating it, preparing it, and sharing it with the people we love.

For this month's challenge, we wanted to do something a little bit different.

So many of the challenges this year have helped us learn skills or techniques that are pretty specialized - and that have proven to be very challenging. And while the big challenges absolutely bring big rewards (not to mention yummy results), this month we thought we would go a bit more creative.

There are many foods that appear across a variety of cultures, with only slight differences or variations. This month we wanted to test out one food across many cultures to see how many variations we can bring to the blogosphere. So this month we challenge the community to bring us meatballs from around the world.

A meatball, at the most basic level, is some kind of ground meat that has been rolled into a ball and cooked. But that is where the basics end. Usually other ingredients are involved – generally breadcrumbs and eggs, to give the ball body and bind it together, and a variety of spices for flavor. The type or types of meat used, the method of preparing the balls and especially the way the meat is served can vary so greatly that it is sometimes amazing to think that they are all the “same” kind of basic food.

It is these differences that we are looking to celebrate this month – to create more meatball dishes than anyone ever would have thought possible, and to show the world just how versatile the “simple” meatball can be.

Recipe Source: Basic meatball recipes or based on recipes from cooks.com and Mark Bittman, with additional inspiration recipes provided from various online sources.

Blog-checking lines: The June Daring Cooks’ challenge sure kept us rolling – meatballs, that is! Shelley from C Mom Cook and Ruth from The Crafts of Mommyhood challenged us to try meatballs from around the world and to create our own meatball meal celebrating a culture or cuisine of our own choice.

Here follows my meatball recipes please enjoy them as much as I and my friends and family did!!!

Kangaroo and beetroot meatballs in red wine sauce
I
LOVE meatballs and I KNOW how to make them after doing them many
1000s of times and I never get tired of them. This is one of my
personal best meatball recipes made with kangaroo steak minced, the
ready-made mince is easily available in major supermarkets in
Australia (Coles/Woolworths $8.75/kg). I combine it with the other
classic Australian taste that is beetroot. It always surprises
foreigners how much beetroot is eaten in Australia, in fact it is a
standard addition in hamburgers in most takeaways. So how couldn't I
combine kangaroo and beetroot into a humble meatball. I use very
strongly flavour rye crisp bread combined with robust sun-dried
tomato pesto to favour the meatball mixture this combination seems to
produce a mellow flavour simmered meatball. This is always a winner
at parties and BBQs especially if I have let the meatballs soak in
the red wine sauce overnight. The biggest tips for light, moist and
fluffy meatballs - use the best ingredients you can afford, freshly
minced meat is best, sauté your aromatics, all ingredients must be
cold when mixing, freshly made bread crumbs, a gentle touch, make a
test meatball check seasoning and simmer the meatballs.
Kangaroo is a very 'soft' meat; especially lean, tender, and
soft-textured well suited for children's palate and also it cooks at
a very low temperature and very fast which makes it excellent for
simmered meatballs.
My standard roo and beetroot recipe (roo is Australian slang for
kangaroo) is below, this makes the lightest most tender meatballs. I
like making a batch and letting it cool in the red wine sauce
overnight and then reheating until just hot super tasty.
It is a
very easy recipe.Kangaroo and beetroot meatballs simmered in red wine
sauce
Makes a lot, 4 dozen meatballs
1 kg kangaroo
mince, (best if used cold)
2 large beetroot, finely grated
1
carrot, finely grated
2 onions, finely chopped and pan-fried until
caramelised
1/2 cup of cottage cheese (fetta cheese works well,
reduce salt if using)
3-4 tablespoons olive oil, extra virgin
3
rye crisp-bread soaked in 3 tablespoons of cream or milk
1/2 cup
freshly made bread crumbs from wholemeal pita bread
1 bunch of
parsley, finely chopped
2 tablespoons sun-dried tomato pesto
(basil pesto is fine also)
1 large egg
2 small hot chillies,
finely chopped
2-3 teaspoons salt (if in Australia use vegemite
(1/2-1 tablespoon) instead of salt)
3 teaspoons pepper
1 large
tin of cherry tomatoes
1 cup of red wine, good quality (or if
using for children cranberry jelly or beef stock)Instructions
1. In a sauce pan combine the
cherry tomatoes (smash them with wooden spoon) and red wine bring to
a simmer and let simmer while making the meatballs.
2. In a bowl
combine all the other ingredients except meat until well mixed.
3.
Place meat in large bowl add the mixture gently combine until almost
mixed. Make a very small meatball, add to simmering sauce, cook,
taste, adjust seasoning of the meatball mixture. Finish combining the
mixture.
3. Using 1-1/2 tablespoons of mixture form meatballs,
drop immediately into the simmering red wine sauce. Cook for 10-15
mins.
4. Enjoy!
Kangaroo Mince - easily available in supermarkets in Australia
(cheap & super healthy) I usually mince my own meat but the
market was out of kangaroo meat so I used pre-packed mince.

Ingredients for meatballs (L to R caramelised onion, carrot,
beetroot, parsley, in front cream soaked rye crispbread)
The mixture that is added to the kangaroo mince (beetroot, carrot,
caramelised onion, parsley, cottage cheese, cream soaked crisp bread,
bread crumbs, whole egg, sun-dried tomato pesto) which is great on
toast by itself.
The mixture all ready to made into meatballs
I did a fried test batch just to see how these worked out (not my
usual procedure)

The interior of the meatball
I have to say the fried ones were interesting not has tender as
the simmered one but well worth eating. I have road-tested this
recipe over many years to get the most tender simmered meatballs
(especially made for children and fussy adults) so that is why the
fried meatballs were well above average but not as good as the
simmered ones.Lamb, mint and beetroot meatballsIsn't the colour gorgeous on these bright pink lamb meatballs. This is one of the reasons I love this recipe and it goes so well with cucumber/mint/yoghurt dip. I like making tiny 2 teaspoon-sized meatballs for the kids just one bite for their tiny mouths. The caramelised beetroot and onion really adds to and intensifies the natural sweetness of lamb. This meatball recipe has been developed by me over a couple of years. As the butcher was explaining to me a long time ago the fat in lamb is "funny" it doesn't take too well being mixed with pork or veal or beef. That is why I like adding gelatine to the lamb mixture which adds a lovely tender moist mouth feel to the cooked meat balls. Also I like how the meatballs when fried have a "black" crust the characteristic brown-black colour of the crust results from the browned beetroot it doesn't taste burnt or bitter. If you bake the meatballs you can control the colour of the balls to suit your visual liking.

A couple of years ago I was researching on the internet about meatball making and discovered a trick professionals use - adding gelatine to the soaking liquid which adds an unctuous mouth feel to the meatball (which is why a lot of meatball recipes add veal which is gelatine-rich). So I tried it in my standard lamb, mint and beetroot meatball recipe. I have to say the gelatine really adds a lot of moistness and a soft tender mouth feel to the interior of the meatballs. I do this gelatine trick to all my recipes now. Several people who had my lamb meatballs before the change commented after I added the gelatine about the tenderness and moistness of them now. (If anything I thought almost too tender and moist the first time I tasted them but that is my opinion.)

Lamb, mint and beetroot meatballs based on this recipe500 gm (1 lb) lamb mince, freshly ground, best if used cold250 gm (1 very large) beetroot, grated and fried until caramelised 2 onions, grated and fried until caramelised (do the onion and beetroot together)1/2 cup of cottage cheese, drained2 teaspoons salt2 teaspoons pepper1/2 teaspoon of gelatine bloomed in 1/2 cup of warm wine for 5 mins3 slices of white bread, torn into small pieces, then soaked in the cooled wine/gelatine liquid for 5 mins then squeezed dry and chopped 1 bunch mint, finely chopped1 large egg if frying the meatballs, 2 large eggs if simmering(optional toasted sesame seeds for garnishing the cooked meatballs)

Method1. Combine all the ingredients into a large bowl except for the meat. Mix until well combined.2. Add meat and gently mix until almost combined. Make a very small test meatball and cook, taste, adjust seasoning then continue combining mixture until just mixed. Make medium meatballs using 1-1/2 tablespoons of mixture or large meatballs using 3-4 tablespoons of mixture. Let rest in fridge for at least one hour and up to one day. Fry or simmer gently. I find it best to fry them first and then simmer (the frying adds a nice crust to the meatballs).3. Best served with yoghurt/mint/cucumber dip.4. Garnish with the optional toasted sesame seeds.

The baked meatballs garnished in black and white toasted sesame seedsSpicy Tom Yum Asian Meatballs
This
is the recipe I have when I'm trying to impress at dinner parties.
They are made with beef/veal (and the gelatine trick) and the same
ingredients as TOM YUM soup. The colour for them is so golden and
when fried the meatballs form a beautiful tasty crust. These are so
beautiful piled high on a party platter. I know I know this soup is
meant for prawns (shrimp) but it seems to work excellently for these
meatballs, maybe the saffron, coconut cream and fried tomato paste
does the trick.Tom Yum Soup Ingredients
4 lime leaves,finely chopped
2
lemongrass stalks, chopped into tiny pieces
4 slices galangal,
finely chopped
2 thumbs of ginger, finely chopped
4-8 bird's
eyes chillies, finely sliced
1 tbsp palm sugar
Juice of 1-2
limes
2 tbsp fish sauce (a good Thailand brand)
3 large pinches
of saffron infused in the lime juice and fish sauce
2 green
onions, thinly sliced
1 small tomato de-fleshed seeded and chopped
finely
20 gm dried mushroom reconstituted in warm coconut cream
with 1 tsp of gelatine
1 tbsp of tomato paste fried until
brown
1/2 cup reconstituted glass rice noodles (or bread crumbs)
soaked in the mushroom/coconut cream/gelatine liquidMeatballs
1/2 kg of beef/pork belly (freshly ground)
the
above ingredients plus 1 large egg combined. Form 1-1/2
tablespoon-sized meatballs then fry gently.

Lentil and Spinach balls with blueberry sage
glaze
This
is an intriguing recipe! It tastes so GOOD yet it is the weirdest
combination of ingredients but it's always a winner at parties and
surprise pot-lucks and it's easy to cook also (only a couple of mins
in a mircowave and if you want an optional light browning in a fry
pan.) It always STUNS guests when I tell them what these tasty
entrées are made of - lentils, spinach, a couple of eggs and some
seasoned bread crumbs served with a sticky blueberry sage glaze. This
combination is so delicious and so stimulating to the palate, the
different tastes oscillate on your tongue which is exactly what you
want an entrée to do to stimulate the appetite for what-is-to-come.
The lentil and spinach balls are delicious alone but teamed with the
sticky blueberry sage glaze they really seem to switch the taste
receptors to the "pleasure" setting. A good recipe to have
and their freeze well also.
I always get so many different answers when I ask what they tasted
like, but universally they do say they liked them.
The
cooked balls (after microwaving for 2 mins in my very old microwave
oven)

Lentil and Spinach balls with blueberry sage glazeLentil
and Spinach Balls (adapted from this recipe)
2
cups of cooked green lentils (these lentils hold their shape when
cooked)
250 gm packet of frozen spinach, thawed, squeezed dry and
chopped (you can use watercress or collard greens make sure that the
greens are squeezed dry and chopped finely)
2 large eggs
1/2 -
3/4 cup heavily seasoned dry breadcrumbs (Italian-seasoned is fine)
2
teaspoons of freshly cracked pepperMethod
1. If you
want a very fine texture and even colour in the interior of your
vegetarian balls, you can machine-process the spinach and eggs (not
the lentils) together to form a bright green purée. (see here
for a picture of a puréed lentil/spinach ball)
2. Combine all
the ingredients in a large bowl, form 3 tablespoon-sized balls.
Refrigerate for at least one hour up to one day.
3. Microwave on
high for 2 mins (check at 1 min). Serve with a simple tomato sauce or
the blueberry sage glaze.
4. If you want you can lightly fry the
microwaved balls to form a crisp thin eggshell crust the balls will
brown slightly if fried.
Blueberry sage glaze (based on this recipe)
500
gm frozen blueberries (can use a mixture of red/purple berries)
(cranberries or pomegranate molasses work well also but will need
more sugar) (you can use 1/2 cup red wine but reduce the blueberries
by half)
1 tablespoons white vinegar (to taste)
2 tablespoons
sugar (to taste)
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/4
teaspoon hot chilli powder (optional)
1 thumb of ginger, grated
(optional)
1 spring (green) onion, finely chopped (optional)
1-2
garlic clove(s), crushed (optional)
4 sage leaves
2 tablespoons
extra virgin olive oil (or butter)Method
1. Combine
all the ingredients in a small sauce pan reduce gently, taste and
adjust vinegar or sugar until slightly sweet with a light sour
after-taste. Use the optional ingredients if you are serving a meat
(or strong tasting) main course.
2. Remove sage leaves before
serving.Blue-Veined Watercress Ricotta Balls

Blue-Veined Watercress Ricotta Balls
These
ricotta based balls are simple to make and only contain a few
ingredients; ricotta & blue-veined cheese, eggs, watercress (or
spinach), and seasoned breadcrumbs (or flour). I included some puréed
beetroot in the mixture (I had some left over) that is why this batch
is pinkish in colour usually they are white. They fry up nicely but I
like them simmered in soups and stews. If you use flour in the recipe
you get "gnudi" a dumping, these are much lighter.
Blue-Veined Watercress Ricotta Balls1
cup (250 gm) fresh ricotta cheese, broken up into small pieces (I use
low fat)1 large bunch watercress (or spinach), blanched (1 min),
squeezed dried & chopped finely1 bunch mint (or basil if
using spinach), finely chopped1 large egg, lightly beaten1
teaspoon freshly cracked pepper1/2 teaspoon sea salt1/2 cup
fresh breadcrumbs (or flour if you want gundi), seasoned (may need
more)1/3-1/4 cup blue-veined cheese, finely crumbed (1/2 cup
finely grated parmesan if using spinach)(optional 1/4 cup root
veggie purée (beetroot, carrot or pumpkin) best if you are using
spinach)MethodCombine
in large bowl all the ingredients mix until almost combined, make
small test ball, cook, taste adjust seasoning, finish combining, form
small (2 teaspoons), medium (1-1/2 tablespoons) or large (1/4 cup)
sized balls, place into simmering soup or stews until cooked (small 3
mins, med 6 mins, large 10 mins)

Super Duper Surf and
Turf Meatballs
These are so so so GOOD I scoffed the
entire first whole batch down myself there is something about adding
umami (the savoury taste sensation) to food especially to meatballs
that really intensifies and accents the taste of all the ingredients.
These tasted like something from a super fancy restaurant I even
impressed myself, since it was an impromptu recipe just using
leftovers and a couple of pantry staples, usually you aren't this
lucky with "spur-of-the-moment" recipes. Deeply and
profoundly satisfying and so exquisitely tasty. I will be making
these again and again.

I opened the fridge and this is what I had leftover from the night
before:-
1. a half packet (250 gm or 1/4 lb) of good quality
hamburger mince (ground beef),
2. a tin of smoked oysters in
oil,
3. a 1/4 packet of powdered mushroom, nori sheets and sesame
(the blue plastic packet),
4. vegemite,
5. wasabi powder,
6.
some fresh bread crumbs (not shown), and
7. 1 large egg (not
shown)
I noticed immediately that many of the ingredients were rich in
umami. After sweet and salty, sour and bitter, there is umami—the
fifth taste. Discovered at the beginning of the last century by the
Japanese, the word umami translates roughly to mean "deliciousness"
or "deliciously savour" — an understatement if ever there
was one. Rich, deep and intensely savoury, umami exists in a number
of foods and I had a gold mine of them.
So I decided to make a surf and turf meatball (technically an
umami-rich wasabi beef meatball stuffed with smoked oysters). The
powdered mushrooms, nori, vegemite, smoked oysters and beef are all
rich sources of umami (the savoury taste in foods). Also roasting,
caramelizing, browning and grilling all boost the umami taste
sensation in foods. Which is why this is a FABULOUS little entrée
super rich in umami literally drenching in "deliciousness".
I would serve with blue-vein cheese (rich in umami) or shaved
parmesan cheese (one of the richest sources of umami), black olives
(rich in umami) with some fried tomato paste (rich in umami) or fresh
ripe tomatoes (rich in umami), tabasco sauce or hot chilli sauce,
fish sauce (rich in umami), balsamic vinegar (rich in umami) and
freshly minced garlic and a some finely chopped herbs parsley or
mint, with a little of the reserved oyster oil. YUM YUM YUM. These
tasted so good I'm calling them super duper surf and turf
meatballs.
This is the best one so far on my meatball making
challenge!. On reflection and making two other batches for
my friends who LOVED these, I'm entering these in the college's (that
I'm attending) cooking competition next week so tasty and satisfying
hummmmmm.
How to make the meatballs
The finished meatballs waiting to be cooked (all the same size)Super Duper Surf and Turf Meatballs
250 gm
(1/4 lb) minced beef, best if used cold
100 gm (3-1/2 oz) tin of
smoked oysters, drained, reserve oil
1 large egg, lightly
beaten
1/2 cup of fresh breadcrumbs, heavily seasoned
2
teaspoons of vegemite, mixed into the beaten egg (or 1 tablespoon
fish sauce)
1 teaspoon pepper
1/4-1/2 teaspoon of wasabi
powder, to taste
1/4 cup of dried mushroom, shredded (or 2
tablespoons of mushroom powder)
1 sheet of nori, finely
shredded
1/2 tablespoon toasted sesame seedsMethod
1.
Combine in a large bowl all the ingredients except the oysters until
almost combined. Make a very small test ball, cook, taste, adjust
seasoning. Place 1 tablespoon of mixture into a semicircular spoon,
poke finger into mixture to form a hole stuff with 3 smoked oysters
cover the stuffing with the displaced beef mixture to form a complete
meatball, repeat until all the mixture and oysters are used up, makes
about 16-18 meatballs (See pictures above).

Chicken balls

I made two sorts of chicken balls; a sun-dried tomato, olive and ricotta chickenball and a sesame seed coated Thai coconut lime chickenball

Bravo, Audax - you went way above and beyond on this challenge and were such an inspiration. I loved seeing each and every one of your creations and am so glad that you share your creativity and talent. Thanks so much for cooking with us this month!

My kids are crazy over meatballs though I haven't tried kangaroo meat before. I'll just use pork as a substitute. Looks crazy good, thanks for the recipe! This reminds me of the time I used to experiment a lot in the kitchen, before I got too busy managing a Chinese Restaurant in Capalaba area. You just inspired me to try this on the weekend!